Message from the Chairman, September 2014

September 30, 2014

It’s hard to overlook the impact that online streaming video has had on the juggling community. Sure, there were juggling DVDs and VHS tapes sold long before YouTube, but the ease of accessibility and sheer volume of juggling-related videos online has truly been a game changer. Just by simply going online, you can find tutorials on nearly any aspect of juggling and watch footage of jugglers from all over the world.

As online juggling videos continue to make waves, the IJA strives to keep up with our own video offerings. I’d like to take a moment to talk about some of the online video content and programs that the IJA is currently offering.

We’ve been privileged to have a large turnout of contributors from all over the world contribute to our Tricks of the Month videos, which are all available on the IJA YouTube channel. Jugglers from the USA, Chile and Mexico have all made their own contributions. We even have regular videos from flow artists, which add even more diversity to the mix. These regular videos have been a huge success, and we are already planning for a Tricks of the Month series for 2015.

In addition to publicly accessible online videos, one of our IJA Member Benefits includes access to our Members Exclusive IJA Video Library. Some of our current premium offerings include:

Throw Joy – Wes Peden’s latest juggling film. This video completely blew up the online social media juggling community when it was released just a few short months ago (and for good reason). You can watch the entire film and all the extras on eJuggle, simply by being an IJA member.

Club Swinging with Allan Jacobs – This is a full length instructional video on the subject of club swinging. This is not only a phenomenal instructional tool taught by an IJA Gold Medalist, but also a great historical piece, as it was originally released in 1990. We were able to track down the original master tape to have it digitally transferred for the best possible quality.

2012 IJA Festival Video – The complete release of our 2012 festival video. Our festival videos used to be released only as a two-disk set, but members are now able to view every chapter of the release online, including full Individuals, Teams and Juniors routines, not to mention highlights from the Numbers competitions, XJuggling, Renegade and more. Very soon, the 2013 festival video will also be available online for members to view as well.

The Third – Tony Pezzo’s most recent juggling film. This video contains jaw-dropping tricks that Pezzo had been working on for nearly two years before recording on video. It also includes bonus tutorials that teach some of the actual techniques that Pezzo utilized in the film.

IRC Videos – As the IJA continues to hold regional competitions, we also like to bring the action directly to our members. Right now, we have video from IRC competitions held in Chile, Mexico and Brazil.

In addition to all these wonderful offerings, we have exclusive videos from Jay Gilligan, Anthony Gatto and 2012 Individuals Gold Medalist Etoh Satoshi.

Besides offering Tricks of the Month Videos to the general public nearly weekly, one of our goals is to also provide an IJA Members Exclusive video on a nearly monthly basis. Given that an IJA membership is only $29 USD, it is a great deal to have access to this constantly growing video library. More great members-only videos are coming soon!

We are also currently in the midst of having our Fifth Annual IJA Video Tutorial Contest. This contest has been a huge hit in the past, and I am thrilled that Thom Wall is once again the Video Tutorial Contest Director. There are so many great prize packages lined up, and I can’t wait to see what entries this year holds.

I highly encourage anyone interested in manipulation to enter this tutorial contest. There are no restrictions on skill level, and you do not even need to be an IJA member to enter. Don’t be shy — let’s continue to grow the online juggling community and the learning tools that are available out there. No matter what your video is on, your ability to teach and inspire people all over the world is just an upload away.

Nathan is a juggler from Southeast Michigan. He first learned to juggle in college, and has written for the website Streetjuggling.com. Currently, he is The Chairman of the International Jugglers’ Association. When he is not frantically trying to learn new manipulation skills, he enjoys producing music, acting, and watching horror films.